Transfer Slides to Digital

 We need to go back in time to delve into this story.

During the middle of the pandemic shut downs in 2020, I received a phone call from my step mother telling me that I needed to get my Dad's "stuff" out of her house.   Keep in mind, Dad passed away in 2008.  The last time I heard from her was at Dad's funeral.  She sold their house and disappeared off the face of the planet.  I had no idea where she was, and no idea how to get in touch with her.  Her cell phone was disconnected and anything I sent to her e-mail bounced back.

Fast forward to 2020.  She called me and told me I needed to get my Dad's "stuff" (she used another word) or she was going to throw it out.  Keep in mind, there were still travel restrictions in much of the Mid-Atlantic at that time.  After much discussion, I arranged to pick up Dad's stuff the day after the travel ban was lifted at the Wal-Mart parking lot in State College, PA.  My oldest was a Grad Student at Penn State at that time.  He had been home with us for weeks by then.  He went with me - he had a Pennsylvania Driver's License.  Just in case if we were pulled over, we would be able to say that I was taking him home.

Anyway.  We drive up to State College.  One of the stranger trips I've ever taken up there.  The roads were weirdly empty, and the town itself seemed hollow somehow.

When the car pulled up, it was not my step-mother inside.  It was her niece.  She had a trunkful of Dad's stuff.  Old family photos and documents dating back to the Civil War.  His military records. And best of all, his slides.  Years of family history was on those slides.  

When the world reopened again, one of the libraries near me had added a Preservation Station. At this place, I could scan the slides and convert them to digital. All I had to do was make an appointment, bring my own USB Drive, and spend lots of time.

Last month, I finally found the time to convert the slides.  I found that I could convert about 1 carousel in 1 hour.  I had 20 carousels.  I signed up for Saturdays, Fridays, and hours after work.  Slowly but surely, I converted all of those slides to digital.  

I found a treasure trove of pictures!  Everything is now printed out, and I have a very large box of photos, waiting to be moved into a scrapbook. I'm headed off to a scrapbooking retreat in April, and my plan is to scrapbook that treasure trove at that time.  There are so many wonderful memories in those pictures.  I am looking forward to spending time with them all!

In the meantime, I give you this photo, of my dog Winnie back in the 1970's.  Winnie absolutely loved water, and she loved chasing water.  Turning on the sprinkler was always a great time.  I loved watching her chase after the water!